GIVE YOUR MOTHER
A DAY OFF! LET US REFER SOMEONE TO DO
THE DIRTY WORK
DOWNTOWN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER San Diego Community Newspaper Group MAY 2011
www.SDNEWS.com Volume 12, Number 5
Bridging the
Little
Italy’s
di-vineevents
ittle Italy is clearly the place to be in May. Food, culture and all-out celebrations descend on the neighborhood this month, and there’s something for everyone, Italian or not. Whether you’re hankering for some mouthwatering pizza and pasta or hoping to take in some traditional Italian music while strolling through the streets, May has what every Italophile is looking for. Turn to Page 19 for a full rundown of the month’s happenings.
L
Photos courtesy of the Sicilian Festival
controversy One of the proposals for an overhaul of Balboa Park includes a bypass bridge off of the Cabrillo Bridge, which would divert traffic around the Museum of Man to a proPAUL HANSEN | Downtown News posed parking garage behind Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
Balboa Park makeover in the works BY MANNY LOPEZ | DOWNTOWN NEWS
park, will consider design alternatives and refine various elements of different Plans to clear cars out of Balboa proposals that will be put through the Park’s Plaza de Panama and turn it back environment review process by the city’s into a pedestrian plaza in time for the Development Services Department. centennial celebration Under consideraof the 1915 Panamation is a proposal by “San Diego doesn’t really California Exposition Irwin M. Jacobs, phineed this. There’s nothare currently being lanthropist and ing to like about this prepared for submittal cofounder of Qualto the City of San comm. Jacobs’ plan plan except for getting Diego. calls for constructhe cars out of Plaza de The overhaul, howtion of a 400-footPanama.” ever, brings with it a long, 40-foot-wide flurry of contentious two-way bypass Bruce Coons debate. road and bridge to Executive director, SOHO After months of divert traffic public testimony, the through the park. Balboa Park Committee, which serves The bypass road and bridge would abut in an advisory capacity to the mayor and SEE PARK, Page 7 city council on issues pertaining to the
School gives homeless children ‘fair shot’ BY KENDRA HARTMANN & PAUL HANSEN DOWNTOWN NEWS
Andrea Chacon knows the meaning of instability. At only 13 years old, she has been in and out of rescue missions and homeless shelters and has crashed with family members more times than many people move throughout their entire adulthood. “We’re working on getting our own Blair Griffith, Miss Colorado USA signs autographs for homeless children at the Monarch School on April 20. The beauty queen, who became homeless one month after winning her apartment,” she said. “But my mom title, came to the school to talk to the students about the importance of “not letting home- doesn’t see it coming too soon.” PAUL HANSEN | Downtown News lessness define you.” The Monarch School, where Cha-
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con is in the eighth grade, is a K-12 school dedicated exclusively to homeless children. For Chacon, it’s at least one beacon of security in a world where she has no permanent home. “I’ve been to a lot of schools, but I think Monarch actually pays attention to students individually,” she said. “They ask what’s wrong, what’s bothering us. It lets you grow and they help you and nourish you. At my other schools, I probably didn’t know a thing I know now.” She paused, then laughed, “Monarch is awesome.”
On April 20, the school held a special event for its students. In addition to its monthly “Butterfly Birthday” celebration (during which children with April birthdays were thrown a party), the school hosted a very special guest. Blair Griffith, Miss Colorado USA, came to the school to meet the students and share her story. Griffith, it turns out, is also homeless. One month after winning her title, sheriff ’s officers knocked on the door, threw her SEE SCHOOL, Page 7